Confidentiality Policy

Policy: The University at Albany Student Health Services is firmly committed to preserving the confidentiality of all patient visits and records. Student Health Services Employees include all Student Health Services Staff.

Practices: All Student Health Services Employees will treat all patient information confidentially, and they will act in such a manner as to protect the privacy and confidentiality of both clinical and personal information. All health services are confidential, and include, but are not limited to contraception, diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted disease, treatment for alcohol and drug abuse and mental health services.

Disclosure without Patient Consent: Disclosure of confidential patient information may occur without the consent of the patient under the following circumstances:

a court order or subpoena for the medical record;

the patient is at risk of harm to self or others;

the patient makes or authorizes a claim under a health insurance or other health benefit plan or otherwise designates someone else as responsible for payment (a parent as the insured may be notified of treatment);

the law requires reporting of information to a public official (e.g. communicable disease, injury by violent means); and

the patient is a minor.

In any of these situations, information in medical records may be released, without the consent of the patient, to necessary parties, which may include but not be limited to, a court of law, parents, health insurance companies and other payment guarantors such as parents, legal guardians or third party payers, college officials, public health officers, and other healthcare professionals or law enforcement authorities. Information that may be available may include diagnoses, diagnostic testing information, therapeutic procedures and prescription drug information.

In New York, a person under the age of 18 is a minor and generally must have the consent of an adult parent to obtain medical treatment. A parent of a minor who obtains medical treatment will normally be entitled to information about treatment of his/her child. Exceptions are recognized for provision of contraceptives, sexual health issues drug abuse treatment, prenatal care and emergency care.

Please note that Student Health Services is not a health care provider subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, and therefore, is not required to comply with the various federal regulations relating to the use and disclosure of health information. However, Student Health Services is committed to protecting patient privacy.